In 2019, when I first saw the pilot for “Hazbin Hotel,” created by Vivienne Medrano, it instantly captured my heart. With sharp and stylistic animation, compelling characters, and an intriguing premise, I was excited to see future content for the series and this world. Sure, it was rather adult for my tastes at the time, but it still had me hooked. Then, when the news broke in 2020 that it had been picked up by A24 to be an official show, I was ecstatic to see what would be in store.
The series follows Charlie Morningstar, daughter of Lucifer and princess of Hell, as she attempts to create a rehabilitation hotel in Hell that will allow people who have died and gone to Hell, Sinners, to cleanse themselves of sin, thereby redeeming them and enter Heaven to put an end to the yearly extermination of Hell’s citizens by the exterminator angels. Charlie, assisted in her endeavors by her girlfriend Vaggie, porn star Angel Dust, “Radio Demon” Alastor, and others, is determined to see her goals through, despite all the pushback and obstacles that arise at every turn.
The first four episodes, released Jan. 19 on Amazon Prime Video, start the show off with a bang, picking up not long after the events of the pilot as Charlie tries to make the hotel a success through her patron, Angel Dust. As the show progresses, the gang faces several struggles, from the extermination getting shifted to six months instead of a year to skepticism that redemption is possible before culminating in a massive battle against the exorcists in front of the hotel.
One of my favorite parts of the show is the animation. In this age of adult animation having similar, bland styles, Medrano’s eccentric art style is a breath of fresh air. Each character is distinct in appearance and a joy to see on screen. The backgrounds are so detailed and rich and give so much life to Hell. While the 2019 pilot’s animation was amazing and still holds up today, it is clear that there is an improvement in the Prime series. Everything is so crisp and well done. Even when blood and gore are on screen, it is beautifully done and clear that the animators put in a lot of love.
The voice acting is also top-notch. When I found out that the voice cast from the pilot would not be returning, it was rather disappointing. I enjoyed all the actors who lent out their voices and was sad to hear they would be going. I had tentative hopes for the new actors doing justice to these characters.
As it turned out, I had nothing to worry about. While the pilot cast still holds a special place in my heart, the cast for the Prime series is amazing. Erika Henningsen is as sweet and fun as Charlie and plays the softer, sadder moments wonderfully. Stephanie Beatriz, as Vaggie, is sharp and witty but has a tenderness that comes through in her moments with Charlie and the song “Whatever It Takes.” Keith David as Husk is wonderful and brings so much charm and charisma with his silky-smooth voice, making Husk a lot more likable than he was in the pilot. Niffty is primarily the comic relief in the show, but the manic energy delivered by Kimiko Glenn makes her a ton of fun to watch.
Blake Roman and Amir Talai, Angel Dust and Alastor’s voice actors, respectively, surprised me with how good they were. Angel Dust and Alastor were hands down my favorite characters and voices from the pilot, so I was a little worried that their new voices would not live up to the bar set by the characters’ previous actors. Instead, they brought so much more to the table and exceeded my expectations.
It was also great to see the familiar names of Alex Brightman, James Monroe Igleheart and Brandon Rogers. They all voice characters from “Helluva Boss,” the sister show web series of “Hazbin Hotel,” and do a fantastic job with the characters they play in “Hazbin Hotel.” I could not be happier to see these characters being given such wonderful voices. Every actor in the show shines in every scene they are in, especially in the songs.
As a result of having such talented and amazing singers on the cast, the music numbers in each episode are incredible to listen to. It feels like you are watching a Broadway show, which likely is because many cast members are known for their roles on and off Broadway. Songs like “Stayed Gone,” “Poison,” “Loser Baby,” “You Didn’t Know,” “Out For Love,” and “Finale” are fantastic and left me breathless. Medrano’s work has always had killer music, but “Hazbin Hotel” steals the show entirely.
I am so happy for Medrano that she made this story idea into a full-blown show. It is an opportunity that does not come as often as it should. Season two of “Hazbin Hotel” has already been greenlit, so hopefully, it will not be too long before more of this fantastic show is released, hopefully with more than eight episodes. I cannot wait to see what will happen next for Charlie and her friends as they try to realize her dream.
“Hazbin Hotel” is currently available on Amazon Prime Video.
